The Way Back Home
by WriterLady1031
Summary: Zeporiap Luz always knew she was different. Now, after barely escaping from a life-threatening situation, she finds herself in a place that she never dreamed was possible: the wizard world.
1. The Way Back Home

The old woman gathered her grandchild in her arms. She hugged her tight then fastened a silver necklace around the small child's neck.  
  
"Abuela, what is this for?" the child questioned. "Is it for something special?"  
  
"Yes, niña. It is so special that you can never take it off." She said.  
  
"But, why abuela?"  
  
"Because, niña it is to protect you from harm; to keep you safe from the evils of the world." The old woman looked deeply into her granddaughter's eyes to see if she understood what she was being told. She brushed back a lock of curly black hair from her small face and kissed her forehead. "I want you to wear always because it is that special."  
  
"Abuela? But, why-"  
  
"One day this necklace will save you from harm, but you must recite the special words-" "The special words?" the girl asked. "Just like Dorothy said when she wore her ruby-red slippers?"  
  
The old woman laughed. "It is similar, but not quite those words. When you feel that you need to say them, the time will be right. But, not any time before then, okay? ¿Te comprendes?"  
  
The child nodded her head solemnly. "Bien. Now, I want you to repeat after me. 'Hemos vivido siempre en el castillo.' Say it with me."  
  
The child repeated the mantra seven times with her grandmother to help her remember the words distinctly. Afterwards, the old woman sternly reminded the child to never remove the necklace. The small child again nodded her head solemnly before getting in bed, pulling the covers up to her angelic face. Her curls bounced as she settled herself under the warm comforter; her grandmother smiled at the child's movements to get comfortable and watched as she yawned and closed her eyes. Then, she placed a kiss on the sleeping child's soft cheek.  
  
"Buenas noches, mi niña. I have done all that I can to protect you." She whispered, "I only hope that it will work."  
  
The old woman turned and headed out of the room with a heavy heart. Sitting down at the small kitchen table, she pulled out a piece of parchment. A silver-feathered owl hopped onto the table, watching as her mistress wrote out a short letter, signed it, and rolled it up neatly.  
  
"Estrella," the old woman said, "please deliver this letter to my old friend." She tied the note to the owl's leg. "Do you know where, girl?" The owl nodded and nipped her mistress affectionately on the finger.  
  
"Gracias, mi amiga. I know that I can always count on you." She opened the back door and watched as the owl flew off to her destination. Tears streamed down her weathered brown cheeks as she thought of the pain her precious granddaughter would face. She only hoped that she would not have to suffer alone.  
  
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The silver owl landed gracefully on the cluttered desk. She waited patiently to deliver her mistress's letter, quietly turning her head to and fro, looking for the recipient to the special post.  
  
A door opened and a tall man stepped inside the warm office. He walked around to his desk and sat down.  
  
"Well, Estrella it has been a long time since I've seen you. It's been a few years, in fact." The blue eyes twinkled at the memories of the owl's mistress.  
  
"Hoot."  
  
"Yes, I know." Professor Albus Dumbledore untied the letter from Estrella's leg. He sighed as he petted the owl's smooth feathers. He looked down at the letter.  
  
My old friend,  
  
It has been done. I only wish that I could be there to protect her from the pain.  
  
Justina Luz  
  
"Yes, it has been done." Dumbledore sighed again. "Now, we must wait."  
  
._,'^',_._,'^',_._,'^',_._,'^',_._,'^',_._,'^',_._,'^',_._,'^',_._,'^',_._,' ^',_._,'^',_._,'^',_. A/N: So what do you guys think? This is my first fic! Please read and review because I would love to hear your responses! Go on, press the pretty button! ^_^ 


	2. Midnight Voyeurism and Escape!

WL1031: Hey, I'm back again!  
  
Jade: Yeah, she's back again.  
  
WriterLady1031: Hey all, my name is WriterLady1031 or WL1031 for short. Here's my first fic! I also want to introduce my muse, Jade.  
  
Jade: *waving frantically* Hi everybody! Hey, WL you should put a disclaimer on here because the lawyers are banging on the front door.  
  
WL1031: Oh yeah... Enjoy the story... and the disclaimer!  
  
bDisclaimer: As much as I want to, I don't own the Harry Potter Universe. None of the characters are mine. Any characters that you don't recognize, along with the story, are mine./b WL1031: Hey, I'm back again!  
  
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The Way Back Home Chapter 2: Midnight Voyeurism and Escape!  
  
i16 years later./i  
  
bMalfoy Manor/b  
  
Lucius Malfoy stepped towards the center of the room and knelt down. He kissed the hem of the Dark Lord's robes then stood back to await his orders. He watched as his master set a piece of parchment down on a table next to his chair, his scaly skin glinting palely in the firelight.  
  
"Lucius, I want you to retrieve something for me from this location." His voice hissed menacingly throughout the room as he handed him the parchment.  
  
"Is it the same as the others, my lord?" Voldemort nodded. "I will take a few of the Death Eaters with me to secure the area."  
  
"That is fine." Voldemort said then grinned evilly, his snake-like face contorting disturbingly. "Now, I want you to look at the parchment I've handed you. This is holds the identification of what I want you to retrieve." Voldemort smirked again.  
  
Lucius looked down at the parchment, his brain finally registering that he was holding a wizard's photograph. He sucked in his breath. The picture showed a young woman, maybe around twenty years of age, sitting on a park bench. She was smiling, her smooth brown skin reflecting a healthy glow, showing her small, even white teeth. The photograph moved and the young woman's face turned serious as if she was looking towards something in the distance. The young woman was beautiful beyond words. Her pouty lips glistened in the sunlight and her exotic silver eyes slanted up at the corners. The wind ruffled the soft black curls framing her face, falling down to rest on her graceful, swan-like neck and exposed shoulders.  
  
"So do you like what you see?" Voldemort asked. "She is beautiful, is she not?"  
  
Lucius let out the breath that he was unaware he had been holding. He glanced up at his master to see him smirking once again. "Yes, my lord. I want her." Voldemort laughed outright at the man's reaction to the young woman, his red eyes shining with mirth.  
  
"You may have her as an award if you do as I ask." Voldemort said. Lucius exhaled in relief, feeling a rush of desire flow through him. He could barely focus on his master because he was concentrating on how she would feel under him, struggling as he raped her. He almost moaned aloud in anticipation, wanting her badly. His mind drifted back to what his master was saying, but barely.  
  
"Now, I want you to retrieve the girl and bring her to me. She has something that will aid me in defeating Potter. I bmust/b have it." Lucius nodded. "If you leave now, you should return by tomorrow."  
  
"Yes, my lord." Lucius knelt down and kissed the hem of Voldemort's robes once again. He stood and motioned for a few of the men in the back of the room to follow him. He was eager to get the activities started.  
  
"Lucius, there is just one more thing." Lucius signaled for the men to wait as he approached his master again. He bowed gracefully.  
  
"Before you take the girl, you must wait until she reveals the mark on her body. If she does not reveal it to you on purpose, watch her until she does." Voldemort said.  
  
"And if she does neither, my lord?" Lucius asked.  
  
Voldemort smirked, and waving his hand, he said, "You may search for it on her body, of course. Just make sure that you return her alive."  
  
Lucius licked his lips and then smiled evilly. "Of course I will, my lord. I will.isearch/i for the mark as requested." He bowed again and made to leave the room. Peter Pettigrew rushed up to him, sniveling annoyingly.  
  
"You just make sure that she is alive for the master." He sniveled. Lucius rolled his eyes in disgust of the irritating little man. "Move out of my way, Rat."  
  
Moving quickly, the small group of men donned their masks and disapparated from the lush green lawns of the manor.  
  
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bNorthern California, United States/b  
  
Zeporiap Luz just made it into the house before the rain started to come down hard. Panting because she had to run the last block, she shut the door and leaned against it in relief. She deposited her purse on the side table and turned off her cell phone. Her heavy jean jacket was promptly hung up in the coat closet by the door. She walked into the kitchen and leaned against the counter as she played the messages on the answering machine.  
  
"What a long day." She sighed, "I'm glad that I made it back before the rain really started to come down.  
  
Zeporiap walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. She sat down on the couch then lifted up her jean skirt to unzip her knee-high high- heeled leather boots. Reaching over to the table in front of the couch for the remote, she turned on the television. The nightly news blared into the room, echoing the daily dirge of depressing and sensational stories happening around town and the state. She flicked the channels a few times before settling on a forensic science crime caper; even though it was an episode she had already seen. A few minutes later her attention waned, so she clicked the television off.  
  
Picking up her boots, Zeporiap headed towards her bedroom to undress. She put the boots in the shoe rack and pulled out some sleepwear from a solid oak dresser. She stood for a moment, feeling the energy from the work day rush out of her. Feeling weary, she wished that she had a more exciting life; the daily work and commute cycle was wearing her down, but it paid the bills. Luckily, she only had to pay for the general utilities because her grandmother willed the fully-paid house to her a year earlier. The thought of her grandmother made Zeporiap sad. She missed everything about her: her smooth brown skin, her laughing brown eyes, and her soft musical voice. i I miss you, Abuelita,/i she thought. iI miss you more and more each day./i Deciding that a warm shower was just the thing to change her mood, she turned on the taps in the marble tiled shower. Undressing, she dropped her clothes in the hamper for the next wash day. Opening the glass shower door, she tested the water to see if was right. Pleased, with the temperature, she stepped inside.  
  
Pointing his wand at the front door, Lucius whispered the unlocking charm. He turned and motioned for the three other men to step inside, warning them to stay quiet. Moving into the house, Lucius listened for the sounds of where the girl could be.  
  
"Search those other rooms quickly and quietly." He glanced towards the living room then, headed for the kitchen. A door closed quietly and the other three men returned to the initial arrival area. Lucius looked to them for their results and became irritated when they didn't find anything. He exhaled softly, feeling his patience run thin. Suddenly, he heard the sound of running water.  
  
"Put your invisibility charms on," Lucius whispered, "so that we can watch for her to reveal the mark to us. Do not move in until I say so."  
  
The three others did as told and followed Lucius towards the sound of the rushing water.  
  
Standing in the shower, Zeporiap lathered down with her favorite shower gel. Making sure that her hair didn't get wet, she leaned down to shave her legs. Intent on not cutting herself, the feeling of being watched didn't register in her mind.  
  
Lucius Malfoy gasped at the sight of the girl's glistening body. She was toned, having the body of a dancer, but with the lush curves and full breasts of a muggle cover model. Her cinnamon skin reminded him of the chocolate frogs that his son so liked to eat, and he wanted to lick her all over to see if she tasted like one. He heard one of the men moan behind him and almost did so himself.  
  
As she stood up, Lucius saw something sparkling in her navel. Looking closer, he could see that it was a jewel inserted into the skin of her belly button. It was the most erotic thing he had ever seen and he felt his pants tightening. He had to have her now, but he needed to wait to see if she had the mark.  
  
Stepping out of the shower, Zeporiap reached for the fluffy blue towel hanging on the rack. She walked to the sink to wash her face and brush her teeth then, slipped her boy-short panties on before leaving the bathroom. Sitting down at the vanity mirror and table, she rubbed a moisturizer on her face, smoothing in evenly over her skin. Next she massaged lotion into her feet, legs, arms, and shoulders. Turning back to the mirror, she dropped the towel and began to rub the lotion into her breasts and stomach.  
  
Lucius and the men watched the girl with lust-filled eyes. They had watched as she rubbed the lotion into her skin, smelling the fragrance that drifted towards them, and almost moved into action before it was time. It was almost too much, but they restrained themselves, knowing that they would have their time with her later. His pants tightened unbearably, Lucius watched as the girl pulled the chopsticks from her hair. His hands curled into fists to stop himself from going over and delving them into the soft curls that hung to the middle of her back. Following the path of her hands as she applied a comb through her hair, he noticed an odd coloring on her lower back. Moving closer, he saw that it was the mark he was looking for. It was a snake tattoo, curving around some kind of tribal markings that expanded from her lower back to the top of her buttocks. iNow/i, he thought, iI can make my move/i. He licked his lips in anticipation.  
  
Struggling to get the comb through a particularly tough knot in her hair, Zeporiap dropped the comb on the floor. She quickly flipped her tank top on and then reached down to grab the fallen hair utensil. When she sat up to begin combing her hair again, she saw a strange movement in the mirror. She turned around and saw a man standing in her bedroom.  
  
Lucius waited until she leaned down to grab the comb before whispering, "Finite Incantium" to reveal himself. When she sat back up, they were waiting for her.  
  
When she turned around, she felt the air rush out of her lungs. "Who-who are you? And what are you doing in my house?" She could hardly breathe, she was so frightened. iDios Mio,/i she thought, ithey're going to kill me!/i Zeporiap tried to move her legs, but her mind would not register the action. When her finally came out of her fright, she tried to dash for the door only to be stopped by three men that seemed to come from out of nowhere. They grabbed her and forced back into the room. She struggled, but she was no match for the brute strength of the men holding her.  
  
"Put her on the bed, I want to.iexamine/i the mark for myself." Lucius said. The men laughed and dragged the struggling and screaming girl to the four-poster king-size bed. The men then, held her down on the bed, stroking her legs and arms.  
  
"Her skin is so soft." One man said. The others nodded in agreement. Zeporiap struggled harder to get away, but it was no use. She was afraid for her life and angry for being caught in such a vulnerable situation; she didn't want to be raped and beaten. She watched as a tall blond man, pointed a stick at her. He whispered a few words and ropes shot out to tie her wrists and ankles to the bed posts. He had a frightening smile on his face as he moved closer to the bed. Zeporiap whimpered as he ran his hand up her leg.  
  
"Now, that I have you where I want you, we are going to have some fun." The men behind him laughed, rubbing their hands together in excitement.  
  
"Please don't-" She cried.  
  
"Ah, yes you will please me and my friends exactly how we want you to." The blond man leaned closer and licked up her thigh as if he tasted her like some prize morsel. He moaned and reached up to squeeze her breasts. Zeporiap could barely contain her revulsion; she shuddered as the man began to lick her stomach and breasts, sniffing his way around her body. He twined his fingers in her hair, running his hands through her curls, caressing her. Zeporiap screamed.  
  
"Leave me alone!" She tried to fight him off, but he and the men only laughed.  
  
"I like it when they scream and struggle. You're only adding to the fun." His hot breath fanned over her face. Zeporiap turned her head to the side to avoid looking into the man's eyes.  
  
Lucius could not wait to touch her. Her smooth skin was arousing him more than anything ever had. The taste of her skin was intoxicating and he had to have more. Her breasts were firm, her body supple. Her hair was as soft as he thought it would be, his finger twining in the black curls. He would have her now.  
  
Zeporiap screamed again as the man thrust her shirt up and snatched her panties down. He began to lick his fingers, caressing in between her legs roughly. The men behind him cheered and Zeporiap saw them stroking themselves through their clothes. She tried to squirm away from the man abusing her, but she couldn't get away. He roughly jammed his fingers into her vagina, thrusting them in and out, stretching her. The pain was terrible; a white-hot heat scorched her lower body painfully. Then he lifted up her hips and jammed his fingers into her anal opening, ripping and tearing his way into her.  
  
"Do it! Do it!" The men chanted loudly. "Break her in and save some for us!"  
  
Lucius slammed her hips down onto the mattress and leaned back to undo his pants. He shoved them down just enough to free his throbbing penis and then shoved the girl back down. He climbed on top of her and plunged inside her. Zeporiap screamed.  
  
"Well, boys, a virgin!" The men laughed cruelly. "Not anymore!" one of them shouted. They laughed again.  
  
Lucius began thrusting roughly into the girl. She was so tight around him that he almost came after the second thrust. He lifted her hips up, continuing to jam into her deeply.  
  
Zeporiap couldn't breathe. The man was violating her in the worst possible way, taking away something that she could never get back. Her eyes rolled back into her head as the man became more vigorous; as the shouting men became louder and crueler. The man on top of her laughed as she tried to get air into her lungs, getting a twisted type of pleasure from the fact that he was causing her to lose consciousness. She tried to hold on to the last bit of awareness, wanting to remember exactly who was doing this to her. She opened her eyes and looked into the face of the man, memorizing the sound of his voice, his smell, the way his hair glinted as he raped her; everything. She would get him back, she would beat the pain, and she would see justice resolved. Her eyes closed as she fell into the blackness engulfing her.  
  
Lucius could not deny his body any longer. He felt the tremors in his body as he neared completion. He thrust deeper, savoring the feel of the girl's tight body surrounding him. Finally, he felt himself explode into her, the feeling so powerful that he shouted like a wild animal.  
  
Zeporiap opened her eyes, finding herself in a flower field. Her grandmother was leaning over her, brushing her curls away from her face.  
  
"iAbuelita,/i she cried. "Why is this happening to me?"  
  
"iNiña/i, it was the only way for you to fulfill the prophecy." Tears streamed down Justina Luz's cheeks. "It was the only way for your powers to awaken."  
  
"What do you mean, iAbuelita/i?" Zeporiap cried  
  
"You will know what it all means in due time, iniña/i." She wiped the tears from the girl's face.  
  
"I want to stay here with you! Please, I want to stay here with you!" Zeporiap clung to her grandmother fiercely, hoping to escape the pain.  
  
Justina shook her head. "No, iniña./i You must go back, there are still things that you need to do." She began to drift away from Zeporiap, farther and farther until only their fingertips were touching.  
  
"No!" she screamed. "Don't leave me!"  
  
"Remember the words, iniña. Remember the words." Justina Luz faded away.  
  
Zeporiap fell back into the flowers, screaming.  
  
Lucius was just beginning to fasten his pants back up when he saw the girl's eyes snap open. "Well, my dear you were quite a fuck. I'll have to come back for another ride." He turned to the men behind him. "So, who's next?"  
  
Zeporiap had had enough. Her silver eyes began to glow unnaturally as the men turned back towards her. She felt a strange power flowing through her body, giving her a kind of strength she never knew she had. She pulled her hands and legs free as she sat up on the bed.  
  
"No one will be next." The startled men rushed towards her, but an invisible field kept them from coming closer. "You will not hurt me anymore!" she yelled. The men began casting spells, shouting charms that they thought would allow them to break through the wall. "STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT!" she shouted. Her voice was so loud that the glass broke in the mirrors and window throughout the house. The men froze in their tracks, unable to move from the unknown spell she cast. Zeporiap jumped up and grabbed the robe of the man who had raped her. Suddenly, the men were able to move again and they all cast a freeze charm of their own towards her. Zeporiap held up her hand, silver eyes glowing luminously, and deflected the charms effortlessly. She flicked her wrist, and sent one man crashing into her vanity. Another crashed into the wall; the other slammed into the bookcase lining another wall. The tall blond man rushed towards her, knocking her to the floor.  
  
"Well, bitch, if I had known that you liked to play rough," he panted, "I would have been extra special with you." He slapped her across the face, splitting her lip. He punched her on the jaw and she tasted the metallic flavor of blood in her mouth.  
  
"iNiña, remember the words. Remember the words/i." Her grandmother's voice whispered through her mind.  
  
"iWhat words/i?" she thought. It was getting harder and harder to breathe as the man wrapped his hands around her throat.  
  
"iThe ones from your childhood, niña./i  
  
Zeporiap was beginning to see spots in front of her eyes. Lucius figured that if she wouldn't come willingly, she'd come unconsciously-at least she's be alive.  
  
Zeporiap had a sudden memory of her and her grandmother chanting a list of words before her bed time one night long ago. She remembered that she had to repeat it seven times and that it would only work when it was time. "And not a moment before, i¿Comprendes, niña?/i"  
  
Now, she remembered. But, she still didn't understand. However, having a man's hands around your throat didn't exactly give one much time for contemplation. So she said the words that she learned long ago.  
  
"iHemos vivido siempre en el Castillo./i" The necklace began to warm under the man's hands. She said the words stronger and louder.  
  
Lucius began to realize that something was wrong. The girl's skin felt funny almost as if she was. fading away? The bitch was fading away!  
  
"ARGH!" Lucius screamed, "You're not going to escape!"  
  
Zeporiap only laughed as she faded away. "Bye bye."  
  
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WL1031: WOO HOO! What do you guys think?  
  
Jade: Man! That was a fat cliffhanger at the end!  
  
WL1031: Well. that's how that one ended. Can't do anything when it stops like that! Hey, you should know, you're the bmuse/b here!  
  
Jade: Yeah. well, YEAH I AM THE MUSE! *puffs up proudly*  
  
WL1031: So, why'd you let the chapter end like that then? Huh?  
  
Jade: Um. well. HEY, review people! Yeah, review! *runs off*  
  
WL1031: Just like you to avoid the question. Anyway, please review and tell us what you think about this chapter. Chapter 3 should be up in the next few days or so.  
  
Translation:  
  
Dios mios: Roughly translates to "My God"  
  
Niña: (baby) girl  
  
¿Comprendes?: Do you understand? (Blood Fairy thanks for helping me out with this one. I confirmed with my dad and he said it was correct.  
  
Abuelita: grandma 


	3. Afternoon Arrival

WL1031: This is the disclaimer.  
  
(Jade comes on stage holding a sign) **We don't own the Harry Potter Universe** (Jade starts to cry) **but, I do own Zeporiap Luz, any other character that's not recognizable, and the story**  
  
Jade: So don't sue WL, she's just a broke (okay, well not really broke) college grad. (runs off stage crying)  
  
WL1031: (sighs) Carry on.

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The Way Back Home  
Chapter 3: Afternoon Arrival  
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.**Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
  
**  
It was a gorgeous Saturday afternoon in September. Classes had started for the seventh- years, the school getting back into the normal swing of things. The sun was shining brightly in the clear sky, warming the school grounds to perfection. The day was unhurried as there was an unusually light load of homework was passed out by the teachers, as if they too were still in vacation-mode. Lunch had just been served and now many of the students began to trickle out of the Great Hall to the lush grass around the lake to relax. They sat around talking and laughing amongst themselves, enjoying the fine weather. It was just another typical Saturday.  
  
It was so typical, that Professor Severus Snape was taking his usual solitary stroll around the lake. He sauntered menacingly, a dark look etched onto his face. He smirked as the students scattered out of his way, trying to avoid the mean Potions Master. The less they got in his way, the better.  
  
Making his way to his customary perch beside the lake, he sat down. He looked on as the squid catapulted itself gracefully around the lake causing small ripples to lap at the shore. A soft gust of wind brushed across the lake and caressed its way through his hair. Irritated, Snape lifted his hands to brush it back. _It's getting too long,_ he thought as he flipped the now bicep-length locks back. _I'm going to have to have it cut_. He knew he should have cut his hair, but things had been so busy that a hair cut ranked low on his "To Do" list. The way things in his life were going having longer hair was the least of his worries.  
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Zeporiap felt like she was falling. She knew that at some point she would strike the ground that should be rising up underneath her, but she just couldn't bring herself to care. After she faded away from that man's evil grasp, she could only think about how tired she was. She wanted to sleep, but her body would not let her. Or rather, the power coursing through her veins would not let her.  
  
Opening her eyes, she saw the sky speeding around her. "Where is this place?" When she tried to reach out and touch one of the clouds that rushed past a silver barrier stopped her. She expected to feel some kind of shock and was surprised when she only felt welcoming warmth under her hand. Resting her hand back on her side, she realized that she was still wearing the robe of the blond-haired man who raped her.  
  
"It wasn't a dream." Zeporiap felt a rush of anger scorch through her veins. "It wasn't a dream" she said again. Turning her head to the side, she saw her reflection. Her lip was swollen and cut, an ugly bruise marring her cheek from where he struck her. The anger she felt became more pronounced. _Now_, she cared. She was going to get the bastard if she had to run to the ends of the earth to catch him. Her eyes rose from her damaged cheek, moving up to the reflection of her eyes. Zeporiap's eyes glinted in a luminous silver color, the irises glowing startlingly out of her face. But, she didn't realize it, being so focused on seeking her revenge. She would think about her eyes later. What was most important now was getting to the place where that man could be.  
  
Unbeknownst to Zeporiap, the barrier that she brushed her hand against was actually protective shield, more like a vessel, taking her to safety. As it raced through the sky, it caused a patch of clouds to move around it, protecting it from suspicious eyes looking towards the sky down below.  
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Another gust of wind flowed across the lake. It was a calming sort of breeze, soothing the hearts of the people it touched, relaxing them into a state of bliss.  
  
"It's a very nice day." Harry said, leaning back against the soft grass. He rested his head on Ginny's lap; they had been going out since the last term ended. "It's not too hot and not even close to being cold."  
  
"Yeah, it's great." Ron said smiling at his friend. "It's a great day for sit—"  
  
"Studying." Hermione said, turning another page in her book.  
  
"Geez, Mione! It's only the beginning of the term!" Ron whined. "It's not even close to any test day, and NEWTS are months away!" Ron turned to the lounging Harry. He shoved him when he saw that he was dropping off to sleep. "Hey, you git! We've got to convince her that she doesn't have to study today!" Harry only smiled, relaxing into the feel of Ginny's fingers caressing his hair. Ginny laughed at her brother's antics to get his girlfriend to loosen up.  
  
"Come on Ron, you should have known that she would bring her books out. It's a perfect day to study." She exclaimed, laughing again. She leaned down and kissed Harry on his scar. "In fact, I was going to study myself." She patted the small bag she had brought along with her when she came outside. "You know, it does help to be prepared because you never know when a quiz might be dropped on us."  
  
Ron looked flabbergasted, opening and closing his mouth in a fish-like manner. "Ginny? You're scaring me!" This time Hermione did look up from her book. She winked at Ginny then, laughed at Ron's expression. She leaned over and kissed him softly on the cheek.  
  
"I've been helping her with her study habits over the summer, Ron. She asked me to help her out. Even though her NEWTS are over a year away, she's still got finals at the end of this year." She patted Ron on the cheek she just kissed. "You would have better grades if you would just study more." Ron could only shake his head. He loved Hermoine, loved her before they got together at the end of their sixth year, but studying was just something that wasn't his forte. He grumbled about her obsessive study habits, but loved it all the same. It was, after all, what made Hermione her and deep down, he didn't want her to change. Just as he was about to tease her about her endearing qualities, a shadow fell over him.  
  
"Well, well, if it isn't the _lovely_ Golden Trio." Draco Malfoy sauntered up with his two goons, Crabbe and Goyle. "Ah, I see the Weaselette is also in attendance. Hmm, finally get Potty to notice you?" Malfoy and his two stupid cronies laughed as Ginny blushed.  
  
"Shut up, Ferret- boy." Harry said, not opening his eyes. "Just go away, you prat. It's too nice a day to be ruined by you."  
  
"Sod off, you stupid git!" Ron said as he jumped to his feet. Hermione looked up again from her book and shook her head.  
  
Draco rolled his eyes. "Tired Scarhead? Don't think you can beat me in a duel?" Draco's mouth twisted into an ugly snarl as he looked down at his adversary. He became red in the face when Harry ignored him, turning his head to the side.  
  
Draco whipped out his wound and pointed it at Harry. "Are you just going to lay there like some stupid prat?" He was yelling now, not paying attention to the students around him turning to look at the scene he was making. "Or maybe you're more worried about that little whore of a girlfriend that you're—"  
  
Harry was up on his feet in a flash, pointing his wand at Draco's chest. Hermione and Ginny were also on their feet, aiming their wands at Crabbe and Goyle. "I told you go away." Harry's emerald green eyes flashed angrily. "If you want to ruin a perfectly nice day by getting hexed on to your ass, be my guest."  
  
"Why you—"  
  
"**What is going on here!?" **Snape had been sitting on his perch when he heard the shouting. Irritated at having to break up another fight, he strolled over to the group, making his way through the crowd. "Potter! Weaseley and Granger, stand down now!" He roared so loud that even the lookie-loo students froze in their tracks. "No, I don't care _who_ started this little scene Potter, twenty-five points from you and your little lion pals!"  
  
"But, Professor—" Hermoine tried to defend their actions, but Snape cut her off.  
  
"Stop right there Miss Granger or it will be fifty points each!" Snape had had enough of their little shenanigans. "You should be _very_ glad that you weren't given detention for your silly actions!" Snape's scowl became frightening, curling into a nasty smile "Oh, but it would be just the thing to teach you a lesson. Alright then: detention for all of you starting on Monday!"  
  
Malfoy laughed and made faces around Snape's back. Ron tried to grab him, but Hermione held tightly onto his arm. "Don't Ron! You'll only make it worse!"  
  
"You should listen to your little Know-it-all, Weaseley. You might be able to learn something before your NEWTS." Snape turned, smirking and began to make his way back towards his dungeons.  
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Zeporiap felt herself getting tired. While she was still angry, her body was beginning to slow down. She was going into shock. _I can't stop now,_ she thought, _I can feel that I am getting_ _close. _ She turned her eyes to look out of the barrier and saw that the sky was slowing down. The clouds that had been moving by fast earlier seemed to be drifting down towards something. She closed her eyes, too tired to keep them open. She only hoped that she didn't die when she hit the ground—if she wasn't already dead.  
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Turning back towards the castle, Snape frowned when the wind suddenly picked up to a dangerous level. Startled, he turned around to see the students running and screaming, trying to seek cover in castle. Those that didn't make it that far were hiding under the trees that dotted the shore of the lake. The lake wasn't faring much better, looking storm tossed and choppy, splashing with angry waves. Even the squid took cover, diving under the surface to avoid the ugly swirling water and winds fighting over its home.  
  
The sky, having been clear and blue earlier, had turned an odd gray color as a patch of clouds approached on the horizon. His eyes widened as the clouds seemed to be heading straight for the castle, moving down instead of in a usual pattern across the sky.  
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Albus Dumbledore looked out of the window, stroking his beard and frowning in concentration. Fawkes ruffled his flame-colored feathers as he settled on his perch. He sung out a beautiful note before nestling down to sleep.  
  
"The girl is making quite the entrance, my friend." Dumbledore's eyes suddenly twinkled at the show about to occur outside.  
  
Minerva McGonagall rushed into Dumbledore's office. She was a bit out of breath, panting to calm down. "Albus, the winds are getting more difficult!" She panted again, laying a slim hand on her heaving chest. "It is getting very dangerous outside and some of the children couldn't make it back into the castle!"  
  
"Calm down my dear." Albus turned and patted her hand. "Everything will be fine in due time." He smiled at his life long companion. He summoned a chair and levitated it to rest near the window. He summoned another chair for himself.  
  
Minerva looked at him questionably. "Albus, my dear, what is going on?"  
  
Albus patted her hand again. "Oh, nothing, just that we've got balcony seats to a fantastic show."  
  
"What?" Minerva shook her head. "Albus, that doesn't make any sense—"  
  
"Just relax, my dear, and enjoy the show." Albus smiled, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Lemon drop?"  
  
Minerva sighed and turned to the window.  
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Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and ran towards the castle. Ron and Hermione were right behind them, making a mad dash towards the main doors. They didn't make it that far. There was a crowd of students trying to rush into the castle at the same time, making it impossible to get indoors.  
  
"We've got to find somewhere else to take cover!" Harry yelled, frantically looking for a place to shelter them.  
  
"Harry, all of the good places are taken and we can't even get inside!" Ron turned around, scanning the scene behind him. "Even the trees by the lake are crowded. Maybe we should try and make it for the greenhouses—"  
  
"No, that's too far!" Hermione yelled, having to shout over the commotion being made by the winds and the screaming students. "Wait, over there, look at Snape!"  
  
They all turned to look at Snape. He seemed to be completely unaffected by the winds, standing on the edge of the lake with his head turned towards the sky.  
  
"I think he cast a shield charm around himself!" Hermione shouted louder this time. "Come on, let's go over by him!"  
  
Ron grabbed her arm. "There's no way that I'm going to cuddle up to Snape for protection. There's got to be another place—"  
  
"No, there's nowhere else to go!" This time, Hermione grabbed _his_ arm, pulling him towards Snape. Harry and Ginny followed, quickly shoving their way through the crowd of students fighting to get inside.  
  
Draco and his goons ran towards Snape, having listened to their whole conversation. He shoved Harry out of the way, trying to get to Snape before he did. Ginny hexed him with a short leg-locking charm, gluing his feet to the ground. Crabbe and Goyle stopped, lifted Draco by the arms, and kept running. They all made it to Snape at the same time.  
  
"Professor!" They all shouted at once, clambering for his attention. Snape turned around with an irritated look on his face. His eyes looked darker than ever, but no one seemed to notice.  
  
**"SHUT THE HELL UP!"** The screaming kids quieted immediately, shocked at the outburst. "Now, go over there and stand behind the rock near the shore. That should provide enough cover." They all looked at the rock, at Snape, then back at the rock again. **"MOVE IT NOW!"** The kids scrambled over to the rock, falling upon it in a jumble of arms and legs. They began to shove and push at each other, trying to separate themselves.  
  
Snape shook his head in disgust. He couldn't believe that they couldn't even get that right. Just as he was making his way to over to the jumble of students, the strong winds stopped. Looking up at the sky, he saw that same strange patch of clouds, lowering down to the lake. A light shot out from the bottom of the cloud, then began moving over the surface of the lake.  
  
"Whoa...." Ron had come out from behind the rock and stood with his mouth wide open. Hermione was at a loss for words, unable to describe what she was feeling. Ginny, helped up from the ground by Harry, was shocked into silence by the strangeness of the whole situation. Harry was just as shocked as Ginny was. Draco and his cronies scrambled up from the ground, their faces white with fear; but instead of running off, they darted forward to get a better view.  
  
Colin Creevy scampered forward with his camera taking pictures all over the place. "Wow, would you look at that. It's amazing."  
  
The beam of light stopped just before the shore of the lake, pulsing brightly. Everyone looked up as something seemed to be coming down in the beam.  
  
"What _is_ that?" One student asked, having come out from underneath one of the trees by the lake.  
  
"I don't know, but I want to get a closer look." Another said. "Who cares if it's something bad, I've never seen anything like it." Others agreed and rushed forward.  
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Meanwhile, Snape stood transfixed as the object in the beam drifted closer and closer to lake. Whatever it was, it was making a spectacular entrance. He leaned closer as the object touched the lake. It was a... _woman_?! It _was_ a woman!  
  
When the woman's feet touched the water, the beam completely disappeared. She began to slosh through the shallow water, stumbling in her efforts to get to shore. She held an arm over her stomach, holding a strange robe closed. Her head was bowed and she held her free hand to her forehead as if she was trying to clear it. Her eyes were closed, probably in too much pain to open them. Reaching the shore, the woman wobbled for a few steps, then caught her balance. She raised her head and opened her eyes.  
  
Snape and everyone around him gasped. The woman's eyes showed a bright silver color: a startling contrast to her brown skin. She turned her eyes Snape, trying to focus them on her surroundings. She mumbled something as Snape rushed forward to catch her.  
  
"_El Castillo_." Snape could barely understand what she was saying. "_¿Dónde está este lugar?_" The woman's voice was hoarse, as if she had been screaming; he couldn't place where her accent was from.  
  
The woman collapsed just as Snape wrapped his arms around her. The students stood in awe of the whole scene. They'd never seen Snape touch anybody, least of all a woman. Snape picked the woman up in his arms. She was a lightweight, fitting easily into his arms. He brushed back the soft black curls that had fallen into her face. Looking down at her robe, Snape recognized it instantly. It was the robe of a Death Eater, but why was she wearing it?  
  
Saving that thought for later, Snape turned around and began to head for the school Hospital Wing. The students parted out of his way as he moved past, and for once, Snape was glad that he didn't have to yell at them to move. As he rushed towards the castle, Snape noticed that the sky was once again, a clear undisturbed blue. Looking down, he saw the woman's slightly open eyes fade back to a silver color before closing.  
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As Snape hurried with his burden, Dumbledore and McGonagoll turned from the window. Minerva had a questioning look on her face, but it began to change into one of awe. "I've never seen anything like that in my life." She was dumbfounded at what she had just witnessed. "Albus, what _was _that?"  
  
Albus only smiled. He looked a little awestruck himself. He shook his head. "Let us make our way to the Hospital Wing, my dear. We will get our answers then." He took her arm and placed it in the crook of his elbow.  
  
"But, Albus—"  
  
"Come along, dear, it's time to meet the afternoon arrival." Minerva sighed.  
  
"It was such a nice day." Albus laughed and patted her arm as he led her towards the Hospital Wing.  
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WL1031: Well, I am back again.  
  
Jade: Don't you mean "we", WL?  
  
WL1031: (clears her throat) Okay, _we_ are back again. (turns to Jade) Happy now? Anyway, please read and review because we'd like your opinions!   
  
Jade: Yeah, please do because... you _know_ that you want to. Maybe we'll even give you something if you do... (grins slyly)  
  
WL1031: Jade! Don't bribe the reviewers! (shoves her off the stage) Those dang muses think they can just do anything. (shakes her head) Be on the look out for chapter 4!  
  
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**_Translations_**:  
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_El Castillo_: the castle  
  
"¿_Dónde está este lugar?"_: Where is this place? 


End file.
